


Dire Need of a Change

by CelesAleen



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Anxiety, Beer, Depression, F/M, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, References to Depression, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Social Anxiety
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2018-08-20
Packaged: 2019-06-24 10:58:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15629283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelesAleen/pseuds/CelesAleen
Summary: Vivid, bright, colorful. These are words that are perfect to describe Pelican Town. Everyone carries a smile on their face, and is always ready for a chat.It's nauseating.The happy memories of visiting your grandfather on his farm are the only things that finally convinced you to quit your desk job, and try to rekindle that passion you had as a youth. However, the years in the city have taken their toll on your spirit. So now you find yourself alone in a new town, with little farming skills to speak of. What could possibly go wrong?But hey, at least you have found a drinking buddy...





	1. Day 0 - Eggshell and Purple

**Author's Note:**

> This is the little prelude to my new work! It suuuper short, but sets the stage for a new story. I hope you enjoy it!

“Hello and thank you for calling the Joja Corporation. My name is-”

“I WANT TO SPEAK TO YOUR MANAGER!”

“How can I help you, ma'am? If you can tell me the problem, I would be happy to-”

“ISAIDIWANTTOSPEAKTOYOURMANAGER!”

“One moment please.”

You press a few buttons on your phone, and soon the line goes silent. With a heavy sigh you remove your head set and set it to the side. Day in, and day out, it’s been these exact same exchanges for years. In the beginning, you would try your best to help the customer, alleviate tensions, and strive for that coveted“Joja of the Month” award. However, after you learned that being a brown-noser was rewarded more than actual hard work, your spirit broke further with every phone call.

You glance over to the drawer on the right side of your desk. You know what is inside. The crisp eggshell white envelope, with a purple wax seal. You’ve studied it, flipping it over in your hands every time you have had an awful caller. However, it always ends up back in the drawer, unopened.

* _DING_ * **REPORT TO ROOM 307-A** * _DING_ *

The alert on your computer catches your attention. “Just greeeeaaaatttt.” You shuffle a few of your papers around, and print out a transcript of the last call. You can just hear your manager now. “’ _Smile. You’re with Joja.’ That’s our tag line, isn’t it? It sounds like we had a guest who wasn’t smiling. Now, why is that?”_

As you prepare your papers before you head upstairs, your attention keeps reverting back to that drawer… that letter. Before you even realized what you were doing, the seal was broken, and the envelope tossed aside.

_If you’re reading this, you must be in dire need of a change…_


	2. Spring 1 - Life's Better with Joja

The past month has been a whirlwind of events. Quitting your job, packing up or selling most of your belongings (not that there were a ton to begin with), and saying goodbye to the few friends you have made since you moved to the city. But here you were, suitcase in one hand, bus ticket in the other.

“Pelican Town, it is, I guess.” You didn’t sound too confident, but you also knew you had passed the point of no return. You scanned in the ticket, threw your suitcase into the overhead compartment, then took your seat.  While you mostly saw your grandpa while you were a child, you were the only grand-kid that kept in contact beyond birthdays and holidays. The two of you were constantly sending gifts back and forth to each other; a mixture of fresh produce and odd knickknacks. It broke your heart when he passed, but even then you never expected him to leave the entire farm to you.

It’s been years since he died, and you had no clue what kind of condition the farm would be in once you got there. Nor did you have any clue how to get it back in shape! You spent every summer with your grandpa on the farm, but that didn't exactly mean you knew how to properly use a hoe, or what seeds grew in which season. You just hoped that some information was retained over the years.

With a heavy sigh, and a quick swig of your cola, you buckled yourself in. “Pelican Town… Here I come?”

\----------

You had a brief but pleasant introduction with Mayor Lewis, and the local carpenter, Robin. They seemed sweet and excited to have a new resident/farmer in the area. While it was a quick introduction, you had a feeling that if they were any indication of the types of folk who live in the town, then this move has already been for the better. Not that you were exactly the largest fan of people in general, but at least they weren't the usual jerks you find in the city. They left you with some basic tools, a few seeds, and a friendly farewell. Just like that, you were immediately thrown into your new life as a farmer. 

\----------

“Can it literally be any hotter? Ugh. And everything _huuuurts_.” You wipe the sweat off of your brow and rub your aching arms. You were filthy, sweaty, and in pain, but the first few seeds from your crops were in the ground, and watered. You were already beginning to regret your decision. Sure, working for Joja made you miserable, but at least you weren’t miserable AND in pain.  _Speaking of_ , Lewis did mention there was a Joja Mart in town, and given how empty your fridge was, a quick trip to grab some groceries would probably be a good decision while you still have at least some energy.

As you left your new residence, and headed into town, you were a bit overwhelmed by how bright and colorful everything was. You had become so accustomed to the unassuming dull gray of Zuzu City. There were flowers and animals everywhere, and everyone seemed to have a small smile on their face as they wandered around town. It was so drastically different from the city, where everyone carried their head low and rushed to where they needed to go. It wasn’t hard to find the Joja Mart given how much it stood out from everything else in the town; like this giant glob of grey in a field of flowers. You walked in and was immediately greeted with the filtered, yet stale air; the low hum of the fridges; and this empty, depressing, feeling.

“Home sweet home…” You murmur under your breath as you walk in. Most Joja Marts are laid out the same, or have a reversed floor plan. After a few moments to get your barrings, you grab a hand cart and pack it up with snacks, some cheap beer, and head over to the freezers. There was a guy, maybe about your age, wearing the infamous Joja blue. He was restocking the freezers, and looked just about as happy as you did when you worked at the main office.

“Excuse me.” You said, wandering up to the worker. He looked over slightly, barely acknowledging your existence, as he continued working. “Do you guys carry frozen pizzas here? I don’t see any on the shelf.” The worker turned away from you, and started fishing through some boxes. You raised your eyebrow, and was about to ask again when he spoke.

“Cheese, Pepperoni, or Combo?”

“Oh. Uh. Two Pepperonis would be great. Thanks.”

He handed you the square boxes, then went back to stocking without another word. You threw them into your cart and walked up to the register. Guess not everybody in the town is a Robin or a Lewis.

\----------

“Well… That will at least get me by until I can get the stove looked at.” You threw the groceries into the pantry and mini fridge, and microwaved a bowl of mac and cheese. It was creeping up to 5pm, which meant Happy Hour! Or hopefully. Lewis had mentioned the saloon in town would be a good way to meet a lot of the people who lived in town, and honestly you could go for a nice mug right now. Something to wear away the edges from the stress of today. You finished your (pathetic) meal, showered, and headed out.

The music was lively, and everything had a warm glow to it. It seemed like 5:30 was when people began filling the seats, chatting with old friends, and gossiping about recent events. You took the far seat next to the fireplace and sipped on your beer. Everyone was already so close and tight knit; maybe coming here wasn’t the best idea. You knew you were going to feel like an outsider for a while, you just didn’t realize how much of an outsider you truly were. Some of these people have roots tracing back generations. They grew up with each other, knew everyone’s likes and dislikes, and even some dirty little secrets. You chugged back your drink and signaled for another round.

After finishing your second drink, you glanced behind you to see someone who looked as outcast as you were. After a moment, you recognized the dead-pan, un-caring look on their face, it was the guy from Joja Mart. You smirked. You knew that look well. You waved over the bartender and ordered another.

You spun around on the bar stool and faced the guy. “Remember, ‘ _Life’s Better with Joja_ ’.” You said sarcastically, while offering the beer. He looked at you like you were a purple beast with twelve horns and three eyes, but then shrugged and accepted the beer. He looked at the label and gave a brief “Not bad” look, before taking a swig. “The name is _______, by the way.”

“Shane.”

That was the majority of your evening, with very little conversation between the two of you. A night spent by sipping on beers until it was difficult to walk straight. You nodded goodbye to Shane, and stumbled out of the door. Luckily the town was small enough where you could just walk everywhere. You collapsed on your bed, and the first night in Pelican Town came to an end.


	3. Spring 2 - Go Tunnelers!

Everything hurts. Everything hurts so much.

You managed to drag yourself out of bed long enough to grab a glass of water and pop a few aspirin. Apparently hard labor plus too many beers does not equal a pleasant outcome. You threw on some clean clothes, washed your face, and headed outside.

"Why is the sun so **god damn** bright?" you cursed as you attempted to shield your eyes. After spending some time watering your pathetic plants, you went back inside and washed yourself off. Your head pounded, your mouth was dry, and everything was miserable. After taking a brief nap, you felt well enough to throw on some comfy clothes, and take a quick stroll. While you aren't exactly the biggest fan of people, it would be good to explore the town a little, and maybe meet some of your new neighbors.

As you made your way past the bus stop, the overbearing aroma of blossoming flowers overwhelmed your senses. Eventually you found yourself in front of the bulletin board at the general store. You poked and prodded through the little notes held up by colorful pins. One note looked like a request for some help, another for a lost item. But was most unusual was the calendar of events that list everyone's birthdays. You hardly remembered your own birthday, much less someone else's. One name did catch your eye though. 

_Spring 20 - Shane_

 "Hmm." You'll have to remember to order him something tasty if he's at the saloon that night. You head into Pierre's and start browsing the shelves. The man behind the counter greets you with a friendly, yet generic, word, as you poke around at all the wares. 

Fertilizer, retaining soil, speed grow, saplings. Your head starts to spin as you are overwhelmed with fancy labels and information you can't make heads or tails of. Defeated, you finally head over to the counter.

"Hey! It's _____, the new farmer! I'm Pierre, the owner of the local general store." Pierre walked out from behind the counter, and stuck out his hand. "If you're looking for seeds, my shop is the place to go. I'll also buy produce from you for a good price!"

You give it a quick shake, and offer up a small smile. "Pleasure to meet you Pierre. Any chance you can give a greenhorn a bit of advice?"

"Absolutely, what do you need?"

The two of you make your way to the shelves as you start explaining your situation. "So basically, I know practically nothing about anything. I remember growing some sort of bean out of a cotton ball and a film canister when I was really little. That coupled with watching my grandpa work, and occasionally helping to water plants is basically the extent of my knowledge." You smile sheepishly as you realize exactly how little it is you know.

"Well..." Pierre pauses for a moment in front of the shelves, "I do know that the plot of land out there is rather decent, however I bet it could use a little bit of help." He grabs a few cases of the fertilizer and sets them on the ground. "You probably don't have a ton of seeds, so why don't we get you some parsnips so that you will have some crops to harvest quickly, as well as a few beans and potatoes so that you have some harvests later in the season." He continues talking about the different seeds, recommendations for care, the difference between fertilizer and retaining soil. While some of the terminology gets a little lost on you, he usually picks up on this, and tries to reexplain in different words for you. After about an hour, you feel much more educated about your new life, and even slightly more confidant. You thank Pierre and head out with your items and truck them back to the farm.

_______

You worked the rest of the daylight away, following Pierre's instructions to a T. Wiping the sweat from your brow, you smile as your little plot of land is vaguely starting to look like a farm. Well.. maybe less of a farm, and more of a small backyard garden... But everyone has to start somewhere, right? You go scrub yourself down and change into your favorite tee shirt: a 15 year old, limited edition, Zuzu City Tunneler's event shirt. You got it from one of those tee shirt cannons at a special anniversary game, and it is still as soft now as it was then. It's been too long since you have seen them in person, but you always manage to watch them when the play-offs are on. 

Throwing on a pair of jeans, and a cozy hoodie, you make your way down to the saloon. You make a promise to yourself not to drink as much as the night before, but you also know that promises to yourself don't always work. The night air was crisp and cool. You've still got awhile before you can adjust from the smells of smog, hot dog carts, and... other questionable scents... to the thick floral and fruity aromas. But at least the air is clean, and it's so much quieter.

Making your way into the saloon, you order two beers, curious if your new drinking buddy will show up tonight. If he does, then you can offer a drink, and maybe chat a bit. If he doesn't, then hey, two beers for you! You wait about ten minutes before opening the bottle. Right as you pop the top off you see Shane walk in, looking disheveled, tired, and bitter. As he walks up to the side of the counter, waiting to order, you slide the unopened beer his way, causing it to softly bump his arm. He turns and looks at you suspiciously as you tip your bottle to him, then take a quick swig. He shrugs, pops the lid off, and takes a drink. Instead of retreating to the corner like the night before, he takes the stool next to you. The two of you drink in silence, casually glancing up at the TV watching the Tunneler's game. 

After a few drinks, you tend to get a little more rowdy every time the Tunneler's score. You barely even notice Shane stealing glances at you as you do this. After the last big score, you couldn't help yourself from standing up and cheering. You looked a little crazy, given you were the only one heavily invested in the game, but with your current lack of sobriety, you didn't much care.

"Tunneler's fan, huh?" You look over to your left and see Shane pointing to the TV with the neck of his beer bottle.

"Ever since I was little. I played on Gridball team in high school, but I learned very quickly I was much better at cheering for the team, than playing on one." You sat back down in your seat and polished off the last of your drink.

"I usually try to see a game once a season." He finished his drink in tow, and glanced up at the clock. He pulled out his wallet and threw some cash on the bar. You followed suit and walked out behind him. After giving each other a brief nod, you went your two separate directions. 

You may not have made friends with anyone in town, but at least there was someone else who likes Gridball, and you could work with that.


	4. Spring 3 - Little Green Flecks

Its amazing that everything seems to hurt less when you don't get drunk off your ass. While you didn't really leap out of bed, you felt much more alive than you did the other day. As your feet greet the coolness of the wooden floor, it is only then you notice the soft  _plink pilnk plink_ of the rain hitting your roof. "At least I don't have to water the crops today.." you say to no one in particular. 

That was still going to have some getting used to. Most of your life, you have lived with  _some one_ be it a roommate or a significant other. Some one who was always clattering around, cooking food; listening to the TV at a volume that was  _slightly_  higher than reasonably needed; or surrounded by books and papers prepping for their next test. But now it was just you. And everything is so... quiet. 

After taking some time to wash the dirty dishes that have been piling up, and making a list of things you needed, you tie up your hair and throw on your rain coat and rain boots. After stepping out and locking your door, you turn around only to be stopped in your tracks. "Theres...  **green**..." Little flecks of green were pushing their way out of the ground in front of your house. You couldn't stop yourself from smiling as you investigated the new little forms of life. They were so tiny and fragile, yet strong and alive. You very carefully touch one of the leaves, as if you didn't believe in it's very existence. But here it was, and here you were. You were officially a farmer. This is your life now. And you are here to stay.

\-------

The sweet spring rain seems to awaken the more subtle smells of your new home. The scent of earthy, dense, mud below your feet; the woody pines that line your walk into town. You wipe your boots before entering Pierre's, and smile as you are greeted with the quiet sound of a ringing bell.

"Ah! If it isn't our new farmer! How is your land treating you?" Pierre hollers from behind the counter.

"They just started sprouting. It was kind of neat to be honest. Back in the city, I didn't even have a garden box, but now... My entire house is practically a garden box!" You let out a small laugh as you start wandering up and down the rows.  After a few moments, you go up to the counter, a little confused. "Sorry to be a bother, but do you guys have anything as far as quick foods or easy meals? I don't have much in the way of a kitchen yet, so cooking is a little hard."

Pierre frowns for a moment and shakes his head. "Not really. This town prides itself in our home cooked meals. We have entire festivals dedicated to food. So I usually just stock basic ingredients. Rice, oil, sugar. Stuff like that."

"Hrm. Gotcha." As much as you didn't really want to give more of your life to Joja, it looks like for now, that is where most of your food shopping is going to be. You purchase a few more packets of seeds and wave a friendly goodbye to Pierre before heading back outside. The town was mostly empty as you wandered the streets. In the windows you could see soft lights glowing, and smell a few chimneys working hard to keep their house warm. You made your way to the Joja mart and began stocking up on more of the usual. Instant ramen, Joja Cola, mini pizzas, and chips. You have a feeling that once your crops start coming in, you're going to be forced into eating better, but for now, you were going to enjoy your trash meals. 

As you wandered up and down the aisles, you recognized a familiar figure, hunched over a stack of boxes, sporting that dull Joja blue. "Hey Shane." You called out while giving a small wave. 

Nothing.

Maybe he didn't hear you? You don't remember Joja being a headphones friendly workplace, but maybe because it is one of their smaller stores, the managers are more lenient. You walk up a bit closer, clearly in ear shot now. "Hey Sh-"

"What do you want?"

You take a quick step back. You know the two of you weren't exactly friends, but you weren't expecting such a harsh greeting. "I just wanted to say hi-"

"I have work to do." He continued stocking the shelves, without even giving you a quick glance.

You smooth out your coat, then turn harshly on your heel and head straight to the register.  _He doesn't have to be such an ass. I was just saying hi._ You quickly finish up your transaction and head home. After putting away your groceries, you decided to stay in tonight. You weren't much in the mood to head out for a drink, especially since you had a feeling Shane was going to be there. You start thinking and trying to figure out if you did or said something to upset him, but you two have barely said more than 10 words to each other. With a slight sigh, you hang up your coat and start up a small fire. At least you had a TV in your house, and you could watch game 2 of the Tunnelers before you turned in for the night.


	5. Spring 4 - You Owe Me One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Looks like Shane is a bit of a sucker for a girl who can keep pace with him.

You stare up at the ceiling, not really focusing on anything in particular. Your body resting on the bed beneath you. After letting out a heavy sigh, you finally manage to muster the strength to throw your legs over the side of the bed, and start your day. Shuffling into the kitchen, you open your fridge and remove a half eaten personal pizza. "Nothing says  _I've got my life together_  quite like left over frozen pizza..." You throw it into the microwave and start up a pot of coffee.  _I still don't get it. I thought we were getting along. Whatever._ Your mind keeps dragging your thoughts back to Shane as you try very hard to do the exact opposite. Soon the  _beep beep beep_ of the microwave breaks your mental war. You retrieve the soggy slices and begin gnawing on them mindlessly as you flip through the channels on your TV.

Eventually you manage to pull yourself out of the chair and start on the day's list of chores. Water the plants, pull some weeds, clear out a few fallen branches, break up a couple small boulders. You are starting to get the hang of this whole "farmer" thing. Though it is much more physically intense than your old office job. You work tirelessly though the day, and before you realize it, the sun began setting. You wiped the sweat and dirt from your brow and headed into your house to tidy up. After scrubbing the layers of dirt from your skin, you throw on a cute, yet slightly revealing top, and a tight pair of skinny jeans. After finishing your hair, and a touch of makeup, you look in the mirror. "Damn, I look good." But why? Why did you decide to get dolled up? You shrugged it off as needing a confidence boost, then headed down to the saloon.

You had just walked through the doors, and you couldn't stop yourself from looking over towards the fire place. There he was, blue jacket and all. Well that's fine, you weren't going to let some sourpuss ruin your night. You stroll over to what you have mentally decided to be "your" seat, and wave the bar-help over. A cute blue hair'd girl took your order and quickly poured you a small screw driver on ice. You sipped it casually, while trying really hard not to glance behind you. However, after your 3rd drink, your will was failing, and you looked. And just in time to see Shane quickly turn away, and take a long swig of his drink, his face slightly pink.

As you finished your drink, Shane walked up to the bar and ordered another beer... and a screw driver. You raised your eyebrow at him, but accepted the drink as he nudged it over to you. "I hate that place. I hate everything about it. It puts me in the worse mood." He said, not really to any one in particular.

"Yeah, Joja tends to have that effect on people." You started sipping on your drink, and could feel your body warming from the drinks.

"What did you do? Before you moved here?" Shane took a seat next to you, but still didn't look directly at you.

"I was customer service at one of the corporate offices. I got to listen to all the people who wanted to complain that they couldn't use their left over coupons."

Shane let out a very small chuckle. "I've probably sent one or two people your way then."

You downed the rest of your drink and set the empty cup on the counter. "Well, then you owe me another if that's the case."

"Fair enough." Shane waved down the girl and ordered another round. You could feel your head becoming light and swishy, but you didn't mind. Shane was actually holding some semblance for a conversation with you, which was honestly the last thing you expected tonight. Not that you cared or anything. "So what brings you do this dull and boring town anyway? Becoming a farmer is quite a change from working in a call center."

"My life sucks, everything is shit, and I hate people."

Shane _clink_ ed your glass with the neck of his beer bottle. "I can drink to that. Still doesn't explain the farming."

"My grandfather left it to me. And farming seems to kind of be an isolated life. Just me and the plants. Maybe a few animals in the future. A couple chickens, maybe a cow or two. We'll see."

"Hmm." Shane simply nodded. You finished your drink, and placed some cash on the bar. But upon trying to stand, you found your legs feeling more like jello than you had realized. You stumbled a bit, catching yourself on the stool. Shane leapt up and grabbed your arm. You took a moment to get used to standing, then slowly made your way to the door. "Hey, are you going to be alright heading home like this? Do you need some help?"

"I'll be fiiine." You waved his hand off of your arm and (tried) to stand up tall. "I've been worse. I'll just take it slow."

Shane let go and put his hands up in defeat. "Well get home safe. I'd hate to hear something happened to my drinking buddy on the way home."

"Yes dad." You took two steps and stumbled onto the ground, your keys falling out of your pocket. Shane started to move towards you, but you waved him off once again, and grabbed your keys as you stood up. "New heels."

Slowly, and with a few near misses, you managed to find your way back home, and collapse onto your bed.

 


End file.
